1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article transport system and a transport system controller.
2. Description of the Related Art
An article transport system in which an image of a workpiece transported by a conveyor is captured by a camera, a position of the workpiece is detected through image processing on the obtained image, and a robot carries out a picking operation on the basis of the detected position of the workpiece is known (e.g. see JP 2007-033328 A and JP H08-063214 A).
The field of view of a camera may be narrowed to improve the detection accuracy of the camera, but in a case where workpieces are densely transported, it may not be possible to correctly identify all of the workpieces. An arrival sensor can be provided on the upstream side of the camera to find the timing at which the workpieces will enter the field of view of the camera; however, depending on the shape of the workpiece, the leading end of the workpiece or the following end of the workpiece may be sensed, and it is thus difficult to know the precise timing.